'We have a different perspective': Julie Bishop distances Australia from US on China, Russia threat

The Turnbull government has distanced itself from a central theme of the Trump administration's new national defence strategy, which defines growing Russian and Chinese military might as greater threats than terrorism.

The American strategic outlook, unveiled earlier this month by Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, elevates "inter-state strategic competition" as the administration's primary focus and outlines Russia and China as revisionist powers seeking to challenge the US, undermine free and open economies, grow their militaries and "shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model".

But Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Monday said neither country posed a military threat to Australia – a statement at odds with an earlier response from Defence Minister Marise Payne, who said Australia shared "similar concerns" to those expressed in the US defence strategy.

"We have a different perspective on Russia and China, clearly. We do not see Russia or China as posing a military threat to Australia," Ms Bishop told Sky News.

Advertisement

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"We continue to work closely with China. We undertake military exercises with China as well as other countries in the region and will continue to do so."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later said "there is no country in the region that shows any hostile intent towards Australia" other than North Korea.

"So we don't see threats from our neighbours in the region but nonetheless every country must always plan ahead and you need to build the capabilities to defend yourself not just today but in 10 years or 20 years hence," Mr Turnbull said.

The latest remarks strike a different note to statements from Senator Payne and also Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.

"It is for the US to determine what is of concern in relation to its national security, but I would note that Australia shares similar concerns," Senator Payne told The Australian last week.

On Sunday, Mr Joyce agreed with the assessment that China and Russia pose a greater threat than Islamist terror.

"It's a statement of the bleeding obvious that any nation that does have the capacity to basically overrun you is always a greater threat. Now whether they are going to follow through with that threat and I don't think for one second that China is going to do that," he told Sky News.

In a press conference on Monday, Senator Payne sought to clarify her position: "I want to be very clear that Australia doesn't see threat in the region and we certainly don't see China as a threat."

Ms Bishop welcomed the US strategy's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and the long-running ANZUS alliance, which underpins Australia's defence policy.

Relations between the Turnbull government and Beijing have deteriorated in recent months following disputes about foreign interference in Australia and the quality of China's growing aid program in the Pacific.